"..."
Hera.
Demeter.
The two goddesses exchanged glances. In the end, they made their decisions and left. Along with them, Ares, Hermes, and many other gods of the heavens departed as well.
These gods, born of the heavens, had no real choice. They owed their current status to the heavens, and if they chose to abandon it, they would also be giving up everything they had.
But…
Were they truly willing to give up everything they had now?
Clearly not!
Their actions made their choices clear, showing everyone what they had decided. Unless one possessed great ambition, no one was willing to abandon all that they currently had.
No one was.
Regardless of who it was, giving up such power and status wasn't an easy thing to do. Polos had placed an opportunity in front of every god, but the truth was, very few gods were truly willing to start over again. For most, it was almost an impossible decision to make.
This much was clear to every god.
Only Metis, Prometheus, and finally Artemis, the Moon Goddess, remained.
Artemis stood silently, watching Metis and Prometheus, as if waiting for them to make their decisions.
She, too, was contemplating her own path.
From Artemis' perspective, Polos was her brother. No matter how you looked at it, he was still her brother.
Even though Zeus, Abel, and Apollo had all vanished, Polos was still her brother in a way.
However…
Artemis was tired. From the moment of her birth, she had been involved in endless plots and schemes. She had grown up in that environment, and now, she was utterly exhausted. For Artemis, this was a fatigue that came from the depths of her soul.
That was why Artemis no longer wanted to be part of all this. She sought a life of peace.
But…
Could Artemis truly find peace?
No one knew! None of the gods knew what would happen to Artemis, nor did they know what the future held. Not even Artemis herself knew.
But regardless, at this moment, Artemis was curious to see what Metis and Prometheus would choose.
She knew very well that she didn't have much choice herself.
Did Ares lack the ambition to become the God-King?
He had it!
However…
It was a meaningless endeavor. No matter how hard Ares tried, the outcome was already determined. He could never become the fourth God-King, nor could he become the ruler of the heavens.
Because of this, Ares could only make one choice. He wasn't willing to give up everything he had now, nor did he want to leave his mother behind. He could only choose to stay in the heavens, as a god, serving Polos.
Even though Zeus, Abel, and Apollo had disappeared, their divine hearts had returned to their bodies. Still, they would once again have to offer their divine hearts to the new ruler. The truth was, they had no other choice, no right to decide differently.
Since that was the case!
There was only one choice left: accept this reality. For the gods, it was an unavoidable fate, one they could not deny.
"Artemis."
Metis looked calmly at the young goddess, her voice soft. "Do you wish to leave?"
"I…"
Artemis was silent for a moment before she spoke quietly, "I am tired. From the day I was born until now, I've lived in a world of plots and schemes. I'm truly exhausted. To me, it all feels like a joke."
"Sigh."
Artemis sighed, not knowing what else to say.
At this moment, Artemis also gazed at Metis. Even though Metis had been one of those responsible for her brother's downfall, there was nothing she could do about it. What could she say? What could she do?
She wasn't in a position to do anything.
This was the harsh reality. As a weaker god, Artemis didn't even have the right to seek revenge. That was the way of the gods—a world too cruel and too full of despair.
Was it laughable?
Perhaps.
But this was the undeniable truth. Artemis now found herself lost. Whether she stayed in the heavens or left, what difference did it make?
Should she follow Metis?
But…
Both Polos and Metis were her enemies. Even though Polos contained a part of her brother, in the end, he was still her enemy.
Could she even tell how much of her brother remained? How absurd! There was no point in even considering it.
"Sigh."
Metis sighed softly as she looked at Artemis. In a calm voice, she said, "Artemis, if that's the case, you could go to the underworld. The moon represents the night, and you are qualified to serve Hades. You could try, though I cannot guarantee what will happen."
Metis saw the confusion in Artemis' eyes and felt a rare surge of maternal instinct.
Or perhaps…
Metis had always had a strong maternal instinct. Now that her son had disappeared, she stroked her belly, thinking of her unborn daughter, who seemed so similar to Artemis.
For this reason!
Metis was willing to give Artemis a chance.
"..."
Artemis looked at Metis, remaining silent for a brief moment before bowing slightly and leaving.
Metis and Prometheus quietly watched as Artemis disappeared into the distance.
These two gods had no choice but to leave the heavens. No matter what, they had to leave.
With a touch of melancholy, Metis said, "Prometheus, it's time for us to go."
"Yes."
Prometheus nodded in agreement.
As the two gods left, soon, a new God-King was born.
The Goddess of War and Victory, Wisdom, and the Earth, as well as the Goddess of the Stars: Athena!
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